One of New York’s most talked-about events is facing unusual pressure this year—not because it’s losing its shine, attendance, or funding, but due to mounting criticism, negative headlines, and even calls for a boycott. Still, the annual fashion showcase and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute is set to deliver its signature glamour on May 4. This year’s exhibition, “Costume Art,” aims to position fashion as a thread woven throughout the entire history of art.
The dress code, “Fashion is Art,” offers plenty of room for interpretation on the red carpet. Curator Andrew Bolton told The Associated Press that the theme is meant to move beyond what he called a “rather obsolete” debate about whether fashion belongs in the art world.
“It’s reversing what we’ve done before,” Bolton said. “Now we’re looking at art through the lens of fashion.”
After raising more than $31 million last year and unveiling a new 1,115-square-metre space, the 2026 gala clearly hasn’t lost its appeal. This edition will also mark the opening of the Condé M. Nast Galleries, built from what used to be the museum’s retail space.
Even the mannequins have been reimagined. Bolton’s exhibit includes figures often overlooked in art history, with a focus on representing larger and disabled bodies.
On the celebrity front, the event remains as star-studded as ever. Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Beyoncé will serve as co-chairs—marking Beyoncé’s first appearance at the gala in a decade. They’ll be joined by lead chair Anna Wintour of Vogue.
The host committee, led by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz, includes a mix of prominent names such as Sabrina Carpenter, Teyana Taylor, Lena Dunham, and Misty Copeland. New additions include Angela Bassett and Aimee Mullins.
Amazon’s Role Sparks Backlash
Not all new developments have been welcomed. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos are serving as honorary chairs and, according to a museum release, are the primary financial backers this year. This marks a shift from the gala’s traditional reliance on luxury brand sponsorships.
Since early April, protest posters have appeared across New York, labeling the event “the Bezos Met Gala … brought to you by worker exploitation.” Others claim it is “brought to you by the firm that powers ICE.”
Much of the backlash has been driven by an activist group called Everyone Hates Elon, which even shared a video of members altering subway ad spaces to display anti-billionaire messages.
Their campaign points to several controversies surrounding Amazon, including claims of cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security on deportation efforts and reports that warehouse workers were pressured to urinate in bottles to meet delivery targets. Referencing this, protesters recently scattered bottles of yellow liquid bearing Bezos’ image around the museum.
A Familiar Critique, Amplified
Criticism of the Met Gala’s association with extreme wealth isn’t new, but this year’s reaction feels more intense. Known for celebrating luxury and exclusivity, the event has long faced accusations of being out of touch with everyday realities in New York.
With individual tickets priced at $100,000 and tables starting at $350,000, the gala accommodates around 400 guests—figures that often draw scrutiny, especially against the backdrop of widening economic inequality.
This year, Zohran Mamdani has chosen not to attend. Elected on a platform focused on affordability, his absence breaks from a tradition where city leaders typically mingle with celebrities at the event.
Past attendees include former mayor Eric Adams, who wore a tuxedo emblazoned with “End Gun Violence” in 2022. A year earlier, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made headlines in a white gown reading “Tax the Rich.”
“My focus is also on affordability and making the most expensive city in the United States affordable, and that’s what I’m looking to spend a lot of my time focused on,” Mamdani told Hell Gate, explaining his decision.
Questions Around the Future
Mamdani’s absence may also hint at broader questions about the gala’s cultural relevance—especially as Anna Wintour, the driving force behind its modern transformation, nears retirement.
Now 76, Wintour stepped back from her day-to-day editorial role at Vogue last year, handing over responsibilities to Chloe Malle while continuing in a global leadership role at Condé Nast.
As fashion magazines face declining influence, some wonder how the Met Gala would fare without her leadership. In response to ongoing challenges—from social justice protests to pandemic disruptions—the Costume Institute has been quietly building a financial safety net
using gala proceeds since 2016.
According to reporting by The New York Times, that reserve fund could sustain the institute if the gala were ever to stop entirely. While that scenario feels more plausible than before, for now, the 2026 Met Gala is still set to go ahead this Monday.
Media professional and journalist based in British Columbia, Canada. Founder of Studiox Film & TV Corporation, focusing on multicultural news, interviews, and community storytelling across Canada.
